Pouncing Lessons
by Cielag
Summary: Taking a break from the rigors of Patrol Lancelot watches his kitten frolic in the grass while learning a valuable lesson about life...and butterflies.


Disclaimer: _I do not own any characters from King Arthur nor do I own anything from that movie. I have merely borrowed characters. I do however own the kitten named as Daedalus. This story contains no slash so if you are looking for such things, turn back now._

P/L: Lancelot deliberates the naming of his kitten as the kitty imitates a frog.

**King Arthur 28 April 2005**

_Swish...Swish...Swish..._

_POUNCE_

"Careful Daedalus," Lancelot warned the small orange kitten who was currently chasing a butterfly around the meadow. "You might get more than what you want."

Daedalus never took his eyes off the butterfly as he playfully swatted at the low-flying creature. And the butterfly seemed to be obliging the playfulness of the young kitten by swooping down into a swinging range but pulling out just before it was hit. This delighted the kitten even more as it doubled its attempts at capturing its prey.

Giving a soft sigh, Lancelot let his back slide down the bark of the oak tree he was leaning against. The warm spring breeze blew gently through the fresh leaves, creating a still and placid atmosphere. This warm feeling comforted Lancelot greatly as the battles he had fought in lately had been nothing but tedious and exhausting. Closing his eyes briefly, Lancelot gave another sigh, sinking into the cool grass.

_Swish...Swat...POUNCE!_

Lancelot opened his eyes and watched his kitten playing in the grass with his new friend. He commented quietly, "You are very lucky to be so young and innocent."

The kitten continued to swat at its friend, who seemed to be enjoying the frolicking just as much as Daedalus. The playing went along the lines of the butterfly resting momentarily on a buttercup and Daedalus would pounce on it. A split second before the kitten's ambush the butterfly would take to the air, thus avoiding capture. This usually led to Daedalus's mad swipes in the air after the butterfly. And then the cycle would start all over again.

Lancelot gave a soft sigh, "You are so young that you don't even know death first hand. Me, I've seen my share of death. With my own hands I've shed more blood than three life-times of a butcher." The yellow butterfly fluttered past his face, Daedalus in hot pursuit.

The butterfly circled above Lancelot, the kitten watching with eager eyes next to Lancelot. Daedalus put his two front paws on Lancelot's arm, mewing in angry protest. Apparently the butterfly had lost interest in the kitten's games and decided that it wanted nothing more to do with the furry ball of energy. The butterfly then assumed that if it were to land on the kitten's presumable owner, the kitten would cease further attempts at trying to catch it.

Lancelot raised his eyebrows to his bangs. He couldn't see the butterfly nor could he feel the butterfly softly prancing about on his curly locks, but judging from the eager stare in Daedalus's eyes, Lancelot had a good idea that the butterfly was still there. And it was the kitten's sudden look of enthusiasm that worried the knight.

He warned quietly, "Now Daedalus, don't get any funny ideas...I'm sure the butterfly only wants to be left alone..."

But as it were, Daedalus's mind was already made up. In a sudden outburst of energy, Daedalus used his front paws to pull himself onto Lancelot and then dug his back paws into Lancelot's arm, vaulting himself at the butterfly. All four of Daedalus's paws were forward, claws extended and ready for use. Daedalus had a wild look about in his eyes as he made his attack at his opponent.

Giving a short, startled yell, Lancelot tried to duck from the kitten's path but only managed to give the kitten a better landing spot. The kitten landed squarely on Lancelot's head, missing the butterfly completely as it anticipated the kitten's next move and safely fluttered to the ground. Daedalus collided into the tree, falling onto Lancelot's shoulders. The kitten quickly turned around and squared itself on Lancelot's left shoulder, looking intently at the grass below.

"Ouch, silly cat!" Lancelot complained loudly as the kitten had used its claws to hold onto its owner. Lancelot tried to reach for Daedalus but the kitten had already leaped off his shoulder and onto his lap. Lancelot sighed, rubbing the sore spot on his shoulder, "You play too rough Daedalus."

However, little Daedalus was too preoccupied with the butterfly to be concerned with what Lancelot was telling him. The kitten curiously looked around at the grass from Lancelot's legs, studying the ground around it. All of a sudden Daedalus launched himself off the grass and onto a small buttercup. The butterfly, in all its excitement of evading the kitten over and over, had completely forgotten to take off again and was suddenly pounced on by the small ball of orange and white fluff.

The butterfly didn't move beneath the kitten's paws. Daedalus took his weight off the butterfly and curiously sniffed it. The butterfly didn't move. Daedalus began pawing at the winged-creature but it was in vain. The beautiful butterfly would not budge. The kitten mewed, pawing it again. No affect. Daedalus looked up at Lancelot and gave a pitiful mew.

"Why you looking at me like that Daedalus?" Lancelot questioned. "I told you that you played too rough. I'm still upset with you for clawing me."

The kitten left the butterfly and hopped onto Lancelot's lap, curling up on his chest. The kitten gave another soft mew before closing its eyes and falling fast asleep. Lancelot gave the small kitten a quiet chuckle. "There's no use in being mad at you is there?" He began to stroke the kitten, who automatically started purring.

Sighing, Lancelot rested his head against the oak tree. "No, there isn't."

Suddenly a little yellow butterfly fluttered up to him. Lancelot gaped at the butterfly in surprise. For a second the butterfly hovered in front of Lancelot, then drifted past the duo and into the meadow where it would continue its journey.


End file.
